What the Best Data Science Bootcamps Have in Common

It has been common knowledge for a while that there is a serious shortage of data scientists, so companies pay big bucks for people to solve their data dilemmas. A quick search of LinkedIn or Indeed will bring up countless job vacancies for these professionals, but many positions remain unfilled, making data science an extremely lucrative career choice. 

There’s no better time to become a data scientist than now, as the average salary for this role is $100,560. The high salary entices prospective professionals to enter the field and enroll in data science bootcamps. These programs can fast-track students into a high-paying data scientist role, teaching them industry skills that further their careers. Fellowships and scholarships can reduce the costs of learning data science, making bootcamps an even more exciting prospect. 

Not all data science programs are the same, though. You need to choose one that teaches the right skills and prepares you for the demands of the industry. In this guide, learn what the best data science courses all have in common and how you can leverage them to advance your career.

Data Science, Explained

Data is everywhere and needs someone to make sense of it all. That’s the role of a data scientist, a talented professional who collects, analyzes, and identifies patterns and trends in vast amounts of data. Data science combines math, statistics, science, and IT. It also involves programming and data analysis. Companies hire data scientists to generate insights from structured and unstructured data and help them solve complex challenges. 

Every day is different for a data scientist. One of these professionals might spend the morning building complex data pipelines that extract data from multiple computer systems, cleanse that data, transform it into the correct format for analytics, and load it to a data warehouse. A data scientist might spend the afternoon running data through business intelligence (BI) tools and drawing conclusions from data sets so businesses can solve problems and make smarter decisions. 

Data science can be full of challenges. Scientists need to be wary of data governance guidelines like GDPR and move data from one location to another without degrading its quality. Then they need to identify data variables and make predictions that provide value for the companies they work for. This job role can be demanding, but it’s always rewarding. 

What Are Data Science Bootcamps?

There are different ways to embark on your data science career path. You can get a bachelor’s or master’s degree in data science at a conventional college and look for a job upon graduation. Or you can enroll in a data science bootcamp, which takes as little as eight weeks to complete full-time or 20 weeks part-time. 

The best bootcamps feature experienced data instructors who help you find a high-paying role as soon as you complete your course. Enrolling in one of these bootcamps could land your dream job by learning the latest industry-specific skills. 

What To Look for in a Data Science Bootcamp

Different data science bootcamps have different learning styles and career opportunities, so you must choose one that furthers your career the most. Here are some things to look out for when searching for programs online:

Cohort-Style Programs

Cohort-based programs are ones where you learn data science alongside other individuals, helping you advance your data skills as part of a team. Instead of learning data science on your own, you get to collaborate with like-minded people and foster your creativity. The instructors will help you build relationships with other prospective data scientists and thrive in a shared learning environment. 

Real-World Experience

Learning data science from books and PowerPoint slides might give you the knowledge you need for a high-paying role, but you won’t develop the real-world skills that lead to higher-paying opportunities in this industry. The best data science bootcamps help you experience real data sets and solve challenges relevant to the data science industry, allowing you to prepare for your new career. 

Mentorship

Anyone with a knowledge of data science can teach this discipline over the internet. However, receiving mentorship from industry leaders and data experts provides a deeper understanding of the data science sector, helping you become a more skilled professional. Within a data science bootcamp, you learn from alumni and senior data scientists and analysts who help you build a professional network. 

Job Opportunities

Many programs teach you the skills for a data scientist role but expect you to find a job after graduation. Finding a program with a diverse network of hiring partners is essential, helping you connect with prospective employers who can further nurture your talent. Although there is no guarantee of a job upon graduation, more than 80 percent of students become data scientists within six months of finishing their studies. 

Portfolio 

The best data science programs let you create a portfolio that demonstrates your technical and analytical skills and increases your chances of finding work after completing your studies. In these bootcamps, you’ll develop a capstone portfolio that showcases all the skills learned in lectures and mini-projects. Share your portfolio with prospective employers and prove you are the right person for the job. 

Financing

Studying to become a data scientist can be an expensive prospect. However, the best learning providers reduce the financial burden associated with your education with flexible financing options, allowing you to spread the cost of your studies over time.

Specific programs offer income-sharing opportunities for all students who enroll in its programs, meaning you don’t pay any tuition until you start your new data career and earn over a certain amount. Also, in some cases, you can receive 30% of your tuition back if you receive a job with one of their hiring partners. 

At The Data Incubator, we believe that education is a right that should be accessible to everyone, which is why we offer robust financing options. From tuition-free fellow spots, tuition financing, income sharing and scholarships—we’re here to help you succeed. Check out our financing options here!

The Ability to Study Part-Time

Data science students come from all walks of life. Some might already have a job, perhaps working in a related field like computer science or statistics. Many come from an academic background; their life is dedicated to research at the moment, so finding time for a full-time program while still maintaining those academic commitments is rough. Others might have family commitments or want to travel the world before settling down and entering the world of full-time work.

Therefore, data science programs that offer a part-time learning option can prove beneficial for those who want to become data scientists but have other obligations. These programs might take longer to complete than full-time ones but still, teach all the skills required for the data science industry at a slower pace. 

What Should You Learn in a Data Science Bootcamp?

Different data science programs have different curricula, making it difficult to choose a course that provides you with the greatest career opportunities. It’s best to pick a program that teaches you the most recent data science techniques and technologies to become a more attractive job candidate. Here are some of the things to look out for when choosing between programs:

Data Science Engineering

The highest-paid data scientists often double up as data engineers and build and maintain systems for extracting, organizing, and storing data. So consider learning data engineering alongside data science for even greater job opportunities. You’ll develop skills such as Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) and Extract, Load, Transform (ELT), where you’ll move data between siloed systems. You’ll then learn to analyze that data and generate real-time insights that provide businesses with incredible value.

A good data science program will combine data science and data engineering in one bootcamp (full-time), helping you grapple with data warehousing systems, data integration methods, algorithms, data structures, and more.

Data Governance

Whether you learn data science, data engineering, or both, you’ll need to know about the ever-changing data governance regulations that will impact your future job. Legislation like GDPR, HIPAA and CCPA will influence how you move data between sources and analyze that data. Your prospective employer could pay expensive fines if you don’t comply with these rules. It would be best if you chose a bootcamp that teaches you the latest data governance principles and how to safeguard sensitive data. 

Code

You’ll hone your coding skills in whatever bootcamp you choose, but know that different programs have different programming requirements. It’s a good idea to pick a course that focuses on a widely-used and fast-growing language like Python, which helps you become proficient in Python and apply statistical methods to datasets, making it easier to find a job when you graduate.

Machine Learning

Machine learning is one of the most in-demand data science skills right now. A subset of artificial intelligence, machine learning helps you generate unparalleled insights for future employers and automate data tasks for better decision-making. All of the best data science Bootcamps help you develop machine learning skills and teach you how to leverage this technology for more successful data science outcomes. 

Visualizations

The best data science programs teach you how to use data visualization technologies for more successful analysis. By knowing how to represent and analyze data in the form of diagrams, pictures, charts, and graphs, you can make better sense of all the data that flows in and out of systems. 

What Skills Do You Need to Enroll in a Data Science Bootcamp?

The best data science bootcamps all have prerequisites for enrollment and require a particular skillset from prospective students. For programs that focus solely on data science, you’ll typically need a background in statistics, probability, programming, and scripting. However, you will nurture these skills in your program and become a more proficient data scientist by the time you graduate. For programs that combine data science with engineering, you’ll need experience in computer science or software development and already possess advanced programming skills. 

If you are new to data science and want to cultivate your skills, a data science essentials program can help you kick-start your career. You’ll extract, cleanse, and analyze data and learn about data formats, object-oriented programming, pandas, data transformation, data visualizations, and more. 

What About Fellowships and Scholarships?

There are several different ways to finance your data science education. One option is to take out loans, but this can be risky. Another option is to apply for scholarships and fellowships. Data science fellowships and scholarships are becoming increasingly popular among students seeking to enter the field. Scholarships and fellowships can provide you with much-needed financial assistance, and they also demonstrate that you have what it takes to succeed in the field of data science.

Perhaps one of the most important things that the best data science programs have in common is the ability to learn for free or, at the very least, at a reduced price. Fellowships and scholarships enable you to become a better data scientist without the expensive price tag, making your career goals more achievable. 

Final Word

With the data scientist shortage, there’s no better time than to enroll in a bootcamp and improve your career prospects. You could become a more talented professional in as little as eight weeks and land your dream job. When choosing a program, consider its curriculum, learning styles, and the job opportunities available when you graduate. The best data science bootcamps have three things in common: teaching the latest technologies, emphasizing real-world applications, and offering job placement support.

At The Data Incubator, we pride ourselves on offering these features in our eight-week data science bootcamp. Our students are taught the most cutting-edge programming languages and techniques top data scientists use at some of the world’s leading companies.

We also offers scholarships for both bootcamps—the Data Science Bootcamp and the Data Science and Engineering Bootcamp—helping you complete your education without worrying about finances. We offer the Equity and Diversity Scholarship and a Women of Excellence in STEM scholarship—find out if you qualify here. There are even a small number of full-tuition fellow spots for both programs for full-time students, meaning you won’t pay a dime for your education.